This Is What “Chopped” Means In Toronto

In the 14th episode of The Slang Show, Jazz Cartier teaches us some T.O. vernacular.

When I first moved to Toronto something like a decade ago, many of the city's favorite Jamaican- and Trini-derived colloquialisms had crystallized thanks in part to Kardinal Offishall's "BaKardi Slang," Toronto's equivalent of Big L's New York slang-defining "Ebonics." Some of the words Kardi breaks down in the track—"crep," "lock it off," "mandem"—overlap with London slang, belying recent accusations that Drake has ripped off Skepta's manner of speaking. In reality, both cities' similar immigrant demographics have resulted in parallel vernacular.

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On a recent visit to New York, Toronto rapper Jazz Cartier brought with him a reminder that slang is, by its nature, in a constant state of evolution. For instance, for an entire generation of Torontonians, "chopped" has a specific meaning: to hit on someone in the romantic sense. For Jazz's generation, its definition has broadened significantly. "A person can be chopped, a situation can be chopped, an object can be chopped," Jazz explained. "Homeboy Jeb Bush tweeting a picture of his gun with his initials on it? That's chopped. He's fucked."

Watch the 14th episode of The Slang Show above to find out what "chopped" means in Toronto and stay tuned to The FADER for more on your favorite artists' favorite colloquialisms.